Chief Marcillinus Nlemigbo, a prominent member of the Imo State Council of Elders and business mogul, has called on Igbo leaders and eligible voters to support President Bola Tinubu's bid for a second term in the 2027 presidential election. Speaking in Owerri on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, during discussions on the conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries in Imo State, Nlemigbo urged voters to set aside ethnic and tribal sentiments when casting their ballots.
Peter Obi's Entry into the Race
Acknowledging the presence of Mr. Peter Obi, a prominent Igbo politician, Nlemigbo noted that Obi is eligible and qualified for the presidency. However, he encouraged the Igbo people to still vote for President Tinubu. He stated, "Mr. Peter Obi is quite eligible and qualified for the presidential seat, but there is a process to get there. The South East should vote massively for President Tinubu because he is working assiduously to liberate the nation from the rot he met three years ago."
Tinubu's Leadership Praised
The former Imo State APC Chairman emphasized that securing the presidency is not rocket science but requires patience and hard work. He argued that Nigeria's economic challenges could have worsened without the president's pragmatic approach and effective management of national resources. Dismissing claims that the presidency had failed to tackle insecurity, Nlemigbo stressed that the issue is global. He said, "Insecurity is not peculiar to us as a nation. It has become a global issue, and people who are greedy, do not value human lives, do not have the fear of God, and are rabidly fanatical to their religion or the people behind it."
Commendation for Imo APC Leadership
Nlemigbo commended Governor Hope Uzodimma and APC State Chairman Mr. Austine Onyedebelu for ensuring a hitch-free party primary in Imo State. He also addressed the Imo Charter of Equity, which rotates the governorship seat among Owerri, Orlu, and Okigwe zones. He disclosed that the Imo Council of Elders had settled for the Owerri zone to produce Governor Uzodimma's successor next year. Reacting to speculation about his own political ambitions, the APC chieftain stated, "They are all followers, and out of this, somebody must emerge. Whoever secures the ticket, we will all support him in our party."
Tinubu Clinches APC Presidential Ticket
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu won the APC presidential primary ahead of the 2027 general elections. Tinubu emerged as the APC presidential candidate with a total of 10,999,967 votes, while his major contender, Stanley Osifo, garnered 16,504 votes in the party's nationwide primary election. The results were announced at the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.
